Miva is a leading-edge shopping cart platform. 2C has been a Miva partner since 1996. Miva continues to deliver core updates that add features and better functionality, and Miva 10 is no exception.
Miva 10 was released as a streaming update to stores today, so be sure to run the update. If you run into any issues, please use the form below to alert us, so we can get you taken care of right away. We don’t expect any update issues, but keep in mind that if you are running archaic modules, you will want to update your modules to standard on-board modules (for lots of reasons).
The Cliff Notes
In trying to sum up the really positive changes in the Miva 10 core update, what keeps coming to mind are that it gives Miva users of all types (backend users and developers) more time in their day and less user frustration. That is something to get really excited about!
Let’s dig into some of the goodies that stood out to me in my Miva 10 Beta experience.
Miva 10 Backend – Store Owners Will Love It!
Miva users are going to be thrilled with the new user flow in the back-end.
Things are still primarily in the same categories users are used to finding them in, however the UI organization of those items make more sense, and the navigation to things is much easier in Miva 10.
Miva 10 Customizable Work Flow
Of note, the ability to customize the dashboard to easily get to the areas of the back-end that are important to store user’s work flow. Each company has their own work flow that suits them best, and until Miva 10, there was no way to access that flow seamlessly. Now every store can set up flows and navigation that get the user right to the areas they need to access without excess clicks and load time.
Miva 10 UX Will Make Users Happy
Ordering, editing, deleting pages, products and categories has never been easier, because of small but mighty UI changes across the back-end.
I am impressed by the fact that while these changes really add up to a big step forward, users will not be faced with UI shock. Things will still feel really familiar on that first login.
Personally, I am pretty excited to show our clients around and get them started in Miva 10. I predict a lot of light bulb moments and smiles as they experience less frustration and save more time for what’s really important in their day. Sometimes agencies dread the initial stages of a core update, because of the surge of client tickets, as store owners stumble around in a practically new UI, but that is not the case for Miva 10. While we do expect some questions, we also expect our MIVA clients to be really happy with what they see.
Miva 10 Dev Flow Improvements
Reducing User-Friction Creates More Happiness
Reducing user-friction in the development flow always encourages greater creativity and delivers changes faster than in previous versions of Miva, which in turn keeps store owners and the end-user of the store happy.
Miva is showing that they care about the shopper, by caring about the developer, which is unfortunately not a scenario that you see in most other eCommerce platforms.
Many platforms don’t understand the need to keep everyone that is using the platform (shoppers, store owners, developers) happy and satisfied.
This is a smart move on the part of Miva, because it creates brand satisfaction for all of the types of people who will have an experience with their platform. It reduces 7 year itch. As an eCommerce website developer since 1996, I have seen it all. Trust me; no platform is ever perfect all of the time. There are seasons in every platform’s lifespan when something that wasn’t broken gets broken and it produces a “grass is greener on that other platform” yearning. I’ve been there, too. While we are platform agnostic at 2C, we will still say with complete confidence that Miva is the BEST eCommerce platform on the market. Not that is it geared for every type of user – because no brand should be all things to all people. Brands that do that that aren’t focused enough to be good at anything. But, I digress. When I say that Miva is the BEST eCommerce platform on the market, I mean that in a functionality way.
You won’t find another platform that is as open and usable to all three of its user personas: shoppers, store owners, developers. If you have found one, please comment below and I will be happy to do a side-by-side comparison.
Typically you get a shopper-first, or store-owner-first approach. In the long history of Miva versions, some users have complained that Miva is development-heavy. As in, sure, it’s great that the code is exposed and you can control every single thing about the look and feel, but what about store owners? In more recent history, Miva versions were focused on the vast capability of a Miva store more user-friendly for store owners, taking the burden off of developers to do every little thing for store owners. However, while developers could indeed control everything because of Miva’s openness, the development flow was tedious. Things took longer than they should have; thus putting the developer in a constant time-squeeze, and sometimes that trickled down to unhappy store owners who couldn’t understand why a change could take so long. The developer is the person between the needs of the shopper and the needs and demands of the store owner. Not a happy place to be when there are time-dense issues that you cannot control.
The Ability to Deliver Store Builds and Changes Faster – YES!!
Time and use will tell, but my opinion at this point is that the time-squeeze is practically nullified with this version. In fact, I am breathing a sigh of relief, realizing how even more dazzling our production will be for our eCommerce clients at 2C.
Saving Time, Miva Style
In the development flow, one of the best upgrades in Miva 10 is the ability to have several departments in an agency create their own mods to a template at the same time, and then merge them to the default template.
Furthermore, when editing a particular branch (entire UI that includes all possible code for that template), you can view that page on the front end of the store shows your code changes in real time, but only to the person logged in making those changes. Clever, very clever. It’s almost like having your own Sonic Screwdriver. The Doctor would be proud!
The time saved in the development flow cannot be understated, when considered over months and years.
Miva 10 Branch Management
Here is an example of a typical Miva development scenario here at 2C.
When building a new store, we will have a developer doing the heavy lifting on customizing the code, while our SEO expert, Holly, is creating SEO magic on the same template. Prior to Miva 10, Holly would have had to wait in line to do her work.
Now, numerous departments can create their own branches at the same time, checking their changes on the front end of that branch, then marry and publish them to the live store.
Another example applicable to Store Owners
Consider having a branch developed for seasonal or holidays sales copy. A branch pre-developed for every occasion. Swapping out branches for a short period of time. then reverting them with the click of a button. Digital Voodoo.
Branch Highlights
- There are three ways to deploy page template code: copy, merge, swap.
- Even better, there is an UNDO button to revert to the last version of that template.
- Don’t need a branch anymore? Simply delete it.
Watch The Video
Go here to watch the video to get a quick overview of the look and feel of Miva 10.
Conclusion
Miva 10 is a well-planned and executed core update. Our agency is excited to start using it in earnest on the development side and are geared up to give our clients the grand tour. We know they will be excited with the positive user experience updates in Miva 10
